Middle Assendon: 31st July

31st July

Middle Assendon
3 Raven: Over heading west towards Bix common. 16:00.
9 Common Crossbill: Just caught the tail end after hearing them calling. Heading in a westerly direction towards Bix common. Possibly heading to the large coniferous wood "Bix Underwood" west of Bix common. 12:35.
18 Common Crossbill: At least 18 heading in the same direction as the earlier flock. Calling constantly. 16:00.

Ashley Stow

Otmoor rspb 31st July

Glossy Ibis 10:59

Cattle Egret 51 at the first screen 12:58 (P.W)

Little-ringed Plover 

Common Sandpiper 

Great Egret

Kingfisher 

Spotted Flycatcher 

 (per RBA et al)

Farmoor Reservoir 31st July

Ruff: juv. 20:30.
2 Common Sandpiper 20:30.
2 Yellow Wagtail 20:30.

(per Matthew Lloyd)

Turnstone 2

Dunlin 2 over

Common Sandpiper 

Green Sandpiper 2

Yellow Wagtail 7

(S.M et al)

Water Rail: Juvenile at Pinkhill hide. 14:38 (per Paul Torevell)

Courtesy of Paul Torevell 

Swalcliffe 31st July

Quail calling again in field north of track between Swalcliffe Lea and Sibford Road 13:45 (et al)

Fyfield Wick: 31st July

Fyfield Wick
4 Spotted Flycatcher: At least 4 with at least 2 Juvs. 08:12.

Jed Cleeter

Newbridge: 30th July

Newbridge
2 Tawny Owl: juv. 1 bird seen well, a second was heard only. 21:20.

Nick Suckling

Heyford Bridge: 30th July

Heyford Bridge
2 Little Egret: Flew up from the river south of the bridge. SP477247. 11:20.

Patrick Keiller

Swalcliffe Lea 30th July

Quail calling 18:24 (N.C)

Farmoor Reservoir 30th July

Green Sandpiper 2

Common Sandpiper 1

Little Egret 12

Common Tern 8

Kingfisher 1

Water Rail 2

Common Raven 2

Chinnor: Chinnor Hill: 30th July

Chinnor: Chinnor Hill
Spotted Flycatcher: 1 near the barrows. 11:00.

David Stracey

Farmoor Reservoir 30th July

Whimbrel

Greenshank (D.M)

Turnstone x2

Sanderling

Little-ringed Plover 

Green Sandpiper x2

Yellow Wagtail (A.L)

Courtesy of Brian Walker 

Courtesy of Brian Walker 

Courtesy of Dave Murphy 

Otmoor rspb 30th July

Glossy Ibis 09:52 

Mandarin 

Little-ringed Plover 4

Bittern

Great white Egret 

Cattle Egret 2

(per RBA et al)

Woodstock 30th July

Crossbill 9 flew over heading east 09:24 (D.D)

Spotted Flycatcher Stonesfield 
Courtesy of Paul Wren

 

Chinnor: Cement Works: 29th July

Chinnor: Cement Works
Common Sandpiper: North end of Lake 2b. 11:00.

David Stracey

Otmoor rspb 29th July

Glossy Ibis 2nd screen

Ringed Plover 2 (C.G et al)

Otmoor rspb 28th July

Screen 1 

Cattle Egrets (3)

Great Crested Grebe with juv.

Lapwings (ca 20)

Little Ringed Plovers (2)

Marsh Harrier

Snipe (2)

Screen 2

Common Terns 3 (incl juvenile being fed)

Glossy Ibis (sans gloss - no sun)

Great White Egret

Green Sandpiper

Herons (2)

Kingfisher

Little Egret

(per Russell Allen)

Courtesy of Russell Allen 

Ardley 28th July

Dunlin - 1 on ERF lagoon

Green sandpiper - 4 on lagoon

Little ringed plover - 1 on lagoon

Common gull - 1 adult over the quarry

Spotted flycatcher - 1

Lesser whitethroat - 1

Warburg Reserve - Monday 28th July 2025

 Due to the lack of water in the surrounding area we are getting some very unusual visitors to the pond

on the reserve. Spotted Flycatcher x 2, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff x 3, 

Blackcap x 4 (1f 1m 2 juveniles), Nuthatch x 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker (m), Song Thrush,

Bullfinch x 9, (2m 1f + 6 juveniles), Marsh Tit x 3, Coal Tit, Chaffinch x 4 (3f 1m).

Spotted Flycatcher

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

Farmoor Reservoir 28th July

Green Sandpiper 1 

Dunlin 1

Common Tern 10

Little Egret 5

Grey Wagtail pair feeding young in nest

Letcombe Bassett: 28th July

One of two quickly growing juvenile grey wagtails frequenting the cress beds at the moment

 

Goring 28th July

Crossbill 9 over c18:09 (P.R)

Wytham Woods 28th July

Crossbill 3+ flew over Field Station (J.H)

Bicester Wetland Reserve 28th July

At 09.00 till 10.00 

1 Great Egret
4 Little Egret
6 Green Sandpiper

Adult Swift feeding juv at Swift tower

A Peters
Key Holder Reserve

Hobby Rushy Common courtesy of Moth Clark 

 

Otmoor rspb 28th July

Glossy Ibis 2nd screen

Common Sandpiper 

Kingfisher 

(K.N, et al)

Farmoor

Sandwich Tern - 2 over F1 before leaving NW

Dunlin 

Common Sandpiper - 2

North Oxon 27th July

c16 Crossbill north Oxon

Courtesy of Paul Wren

 

Stratfield Brake: 27th July

Stratfield Brake
Great White Egret 15:30.

Ian Elkins

Standlake, pit 60: 27th July

Crossbill 2, perched by gate along Langley Lane
Common Sandpiper 3
Great Egret 1
Redstart 1f/j
Hobby 1
Peregrine 1
Common Tern 3

Farmoor Reservoir 27th July

Green Sandpiper along causeway 

Redshank

Oystercatcher 

Red-crested Pochard 4 F2

(S.M)

Farmoor Reservoir 26th July

Common Tern 19 - incl 7 juveniles

Common Sandpiper 1

Kingfisher 1 juvenile

Sand Martin 5+

House Martin 5+

Red crested Pochard 1 juvenile

Bicester Wetland Reserve 26th July

Water levels on main part of reserve are slightly high as we are filling the Cattle Bridge Pool

which has been dug out and re-profiled during the last 5 days.

1 juv Swift showing in one of the nest holes in the Swift Tower
6 Green Sandpiper
1 Kingfisher
6 Little Egret
4 Heron
1 Cetti's Warbler

A Peters C Oram
Key Holder Reserve

Otmoor rspb 26th July

Glossy Ibis at the 2nd screen 07:33 (per RBA)

Farmoor Reservoir 26th July

Common Scoter 2 flew over F2 06:15 but no further sign by 07:46 (B.S)

Warburg Reserve - Friday 25th July 2025

 Spotted Flycatcher x 2, Bullfinch x 6 (2m 1f  + 3Juveniles), Chaffinch (f), Song Thrush,

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Juvenile), Marsh Tit x 3, Coal Tit ( Juvenile), Nuthatch x 2 (Juveniles), 

Long Tailed Tit x 2, Wren. Chiffchaff x 3 ( Juveniles), Blackcap x 2 (m f), Dunnock x 4 (2 adults 2

 juveniles), Kestrel x 2.

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Devil’s Punchbowl: 25th July

 

Yellowhammer in the valley leading to the Punchbowl.

Shepherds Pit Stanton-St-John 25th July

Black-tailed Godwit 3

Green Sandpiper 

Common Sandpiper 

(T.M)

Letcombe Regis: 25th July

Goldfinches at Letcombe Valley Nature Reserve

 

Farmoor Reservoir 25th July

Dunlin 14 along the causeway 16:30 (D.J)

Otmoor rspb 25th July

Glossy Ibis at the 1st screen 11:02

Cattle Egret 40

Great white Egret 2

Little-ringed Plover juv

Crossbill 7 flew over the 1st screen

Whinchat f on Greenaways 14:10

(per Simon Myers et al)

28 of the 40 courtesy of Peter Law

Sonning Eye GPs: 25th July

Sonning Eye GPs
Yellow-legged Gull: Seen with Richard and Bert. Close in on third post cracking bird. 15:10.
7 Common Tern 15:10.

Ralph Watts

LWVP Hides repair - Update 25 July

Martyn Lane of the LWVP reports that the bird hide at Rushy Common will be open today (Friday 25th July).  I can confirm this, as I visited it in the afternoon today. 

The replacement work on the Rushy bird viewing screen has been delayed until week beginning 11th August.  It should then be open from the 15th August.

Work on the Pit 60 hides has yet to be confirmed, but provisionally it will be in the first week of September.

Stephen Burch

Knighton: 25th July

Knighton
5 Spotted Flycatcher: At least. 10:01.

Jed Cleeter

House Sparrow courtesy of Brian Walker 

 

Henley Road GPs: 25th July

Henley Road GPs
2 Mandarin Duck 07:40.
64 Egyptian Goose 07:40.

Hugh Netley

Sonning Eye GPs: 25th July

Sonning Eye GPs
Yellow-legged Gull: ad. 07:09.
Peregrine 07:09.
4 Mandarin Duck 07:09.
Oystercatcher 07:09.

Hugh Netley

Otmoor: 100-acre: 24th July

Otmoor: 100-acre
Redstart: One along northern boundary hedge.

Steve Roby

Woodstock 24th July

In the fields north of the town this evening:

Redstart - juv male

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

Marsh Tit - 1

RSPB Otmoor 24 July

At reedbed:

Glossy Ibis 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Black Tailed Godwit 1

Little Ringed Plover 1

Snipe 1

Oystercatcher 1

Lapwing 50

Great White Egret 1

Little Egret 2

Cattle Egret 2

Bittern 1

Grey Heron 2

Cormorant 3

Great Crested Grebe 2

Little Grebe 2

Common Tern 2

Wildfowl: 160, mostly mallard, but including tufties, teal and shoveler

Green Woodpecker 1

Lesser Whitethroat 3

Lesser Whitethroat 

 

Farmoor Reservoir 23rd July

Caspian Gull 2cy in roost

Yellow-legged Gull c53

(T.M)

Chinnor: Cement Works: 23rd July

Chinnor: Cement Works
2 Oystercatcher: Lake 2b. 11:00.

David Stracey

Otmoor rspb 22nd July

Glossy Ibis

Cattle Egret 

Crane 2

Black-tailed Godwit 3

(A.H et al)

Courtesy of Andrew Hall

Courtesy of Andrew Hall

Bicester Wetland Reserve: 22nd July

Bicester Wetland Reserve
11 Green Sandpiper 13:56.
18 Lapwing 13:56.
Water Rail 13:56.
Kingfisher 13:56.
3 Grey Heron 13:56.
4 Little Egret 13:56.
Green Woodpecker 13:56.
Sparrowhawk 13:56.
12 Green Sandpiper 13:56.

Colin Oram

Heyford Bridge: 22nd July

Heyford Bridge
Little Egret: In river south of bridge. SP477247. 09:35.

Patrick Keiller

Farmoor Reservoir 22nd July

Swift 40+ some visiting the recently installed nest boxes hopefully with a view to occupying next year

Sand Martin 50+

House Martin 10+

Swallow 10+

Dunlin F2

Yellow Wagtail 2 juv

Marsh Harrier 08:43 flying south along Thames (D.L)

(Ewan Urquhart et al)

Common Sandpiper: Flying around sludge pits by F1. 09:45.
Redshank: North eastern edge of F1. 09:45.
4 Grey Wagtail: Around F1. 09:50.

(per Oliver Hedley)

Otmoor rspb 21st July

Glossy Ibis at the first screen 13:26 (K.N)

Courtesy of Carol Payne

Wolvercote lakes: 21st July

Wolvercote lakes
Great White Egret: SP487098. 11:00.

Matthew Southwell

Farmoor Reservoir 21st July

Juvenile Common Tern

 

Farmoor

Turnstone - initially picked up on call over F1, eventually landed on causeway but flushed soon after on bank of F2 with Common Sand. 

Common Sandpiper - c.10

Goosander - 5 RH off Thames onto F1

Common Tern - 15 at least with one juv

Little Egret - 16 

Sand Martin - 30+

Swift - 12

Greenshank (D.J)

New Marston: New Marston Meadows: 21st July

New Marston: New Marston Meadows
Grasshopper Warbler: Marston Hamms, still. 09:15.
2 Sedge Warbler: Marston Hamms. Presumably dispersing individuals as none bred on site. Also lots of juvenile common whitethroat and chiffchaff. 09:15.

Steve Jennings

Radley GP: Home Farm: 21st July

Radley GP: Home Farm
Common Crossbill: 1+ flew over calling. 09:44.

Jason Coppock

Otmoor rspb 20th July

Glossy Ibis at the first screen 17:51 (per RBA)

Temporary closures of the LWVP hides for repairs

Martyn Lane of the OCC run LWVP has informed me that the Rushy and Standlake Common hides will be closed temporarily for repairs shortly. 

For two weeks from 21st July, the Rushy Common Bird Hide will be closed for roof replacement and also replacing the bird screen at Rushy Common.  Note however that this schedule is weather dependant.  The works are being kindly funded by Smiths Bletchington.

There will be signs up later this week at Rushy Common to inform visitors.

The schedule for the roof replacement works at Standlake Common should be available next week, and there will be a further post then.

I also hope it will be possible to confirm when the hides are re-opened.

Stephen Burch

Rushy Common 20th July

Great White Egret 1

Little Egret 1

Lapwing 24

Northern Cross Valley Way

Little Ringed Plover 1

Common Sandpiper 1

Yellow legged Gull 2 

Little Egret 1

Abingdon 19th July

Sent from my iPhone

Farmoor Reservoir: 20th July

Farmoor Reservoir
Red-crested Pochard: Female in southeast corner of F1. 13:35.

Yacky Morris

Farmoor Reservoir 20th July

Black Tern ad still on F1 10:57 (per Dave Lowe et al) 

Standlake, pit 60: 20th July

Crossbill 2 over (1st site record)
Common Sandpiper 1
Oystercatcher 3
Common Tern 2

Bicester: Bicester Sewage Farm: 20th July

Bicester: Bicester Sewage Farm
Common Crossbill: Calls heard in trees on the garden centre side of the stream. 12:16.

Michael Hunt

Bletchingdon Park: 20th July

Bletchingdon Park
Peregrine: Stooped a couple of times but was unsuccessful. Not seen one in the village before. SP503176. 10:10.

David Watkinson

Farmoor Reservoir 19th July

Oystercatcher 4

Little-ringed Plover 2

Common Sandpiper 

Common Tern 5+

(A.L)

Courtesy of Andy Last

Courtesy of Steve Liptrot

Ardley ERF Lagoon 19th July

Green Sandpiper - 6

Common Sandpiper - 1

Little Ringed Plover - 2

Lapwing - 5

Yellow Wagtail - 2 juvs

Wantage: 19th July

Wantage
42 Swift: An impressive number these days. 10:20.

Jed Cleeter

Wantage: Market Square: 19th July

Wantage: Market Square
14 Swift 09:42.

Jed Cleeter

Charney Bassett: E: 18th July

Charney Bassett: E
16 Swift 08:15.

Fyfield Wick
12 Swift 08:15.

Jed Cleeter

Kingston Lisle: 18th July

Kingston Lisle
Hobby 09:38.
12 Swift 09:38.

Jed Cleeter

Chipping Norton: 18th July

Chipping Norton
Green Sandpiper: Heard calling at Wetland nr Cornwell. SP283268. 10:15.
Little Egret: SP283268. 10:15.
2 Grey Heron: SP283268. 10:15.
6 Reed Bunting: In the reed beds at Cornwell marsh. SP283268. 10:15.
4 Black-headed Gull: Hawking for insects over the marsh. SP283268. 10:15.
3 Chiffchaff: SP283268. 10:15.
7 Mallard: Female with brood of six young on Salford Brook. SP283268. 10:15.

Steve Akers

Warburg Reserve - Friday 18th July 2025

Bullfinch x 8 (3m, 1f + 4 Juveniles), Hawfinch (Juvenile -appears to be travelling with Bullfinch Juveniles), Spotted Flycatcher, Song Thrush (Juvenile), Blackcap x 2 (m + Juvenile), Coal Tit, Wren, Marsh Tit x 3 (2 adult + juvenile), Chiffchaff, Nuthatch x 2 (adult + Juvenile), Red Legged Partridge x 8.

Hawfinch -Juvenile

Bullfinch - Juvenile

Spotted Flycatcher.

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve: 18th July

Cholsey: Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve
Reed Warbler: A couple of song bursts, quite muted. SU597852. 11:30.

Mike Amphlett

Farmoor Reservoir 18th July

Little Ringed Plover 1

Common Redshank 1

Oystercatcher 2

Common Sandpiper 2

Common Tern 6

Yellow legged Gull 3

Cattle Egret 3

Little Egret 7

Egyptian Goose 3

Raven 2

Common Swift 2+

Otmoor: RSPB reserve: 18th July

Otmoor: RSPB reserve
Greenshank: S1 now departed. 11:11.
Redshank: S1. 11:11.
30 Cattle Egret: S1. 11:11.
Great White Egret: S1. 11:11.
Glossy Ibis: S1. 11:11.
Hobby: S2. 11:15.

Paul Woodham

Letcombe Bassett: 18th July

 

Little egret at the old watercress beds in Letcombe Bassett

Otmoor rspb 17th July

Glossy Ibis at the 1st screen this afternoon (per RBA)

Farmoor

Common Scoter - Drake on F1 although no sign by 9:30

Dunlin - 2

Little Ringed Plover - 2 (1 juv) 

Common Sandpiper - 10

Red-crested Pochard

Common Tern - 7 (2 juv)

Crossbill - calling over F2 

Yellow-legged Gull - 2 ad

Redstart Cholsey courtesy of Paul Chandler 

 

Farmoor Reservoir 16th July

1600-1730hrs

Dunlin 3 all adults

Common Sandpiper 2

Sanderling (DJ)

Little Egret 5

Common Tern 5 (4 adults 1 juv)

Yellow legged Gull 1 adult

Egyptian Goose 3

Red crested Pochard 1 juvenile

Little Grebe 3 

Common Coot 342

Mute Swan 24 

Sand Martin 8

Red Arrows 10

Otmoor rspb 16th July

Glossy Ibis at the 1st screen 18:00 (per RBA)

Oxford: Magdalen College: 16th July

Oxford: Magdalen College
2 Tawny Owl: juv. 1 juvenile seen and a second heard. 03:00.

Nick Suckling

Otmoor rspb 15th July

Quail calling from the Closes 15:39 (C.T)

Glossy Ibis from the 1st screen 20:37 (per RBA)

Chinnor: Cement Works: 15th July

Chinnor: Cement Works
Common Sandpiper: By West screen Lake 2b. 11:00.

David Stracey

Chadlington: 15th July

Chadlington
Little Egret: Beside River Evenlode. SP325205. 14:00.
Kestrel: SP325205. 14:00.
25 Goldfinch: At least 25 possibly more - many juv birds - in small flock. SP325205. 14:00.
2 Reed Bunting: pair. SP325205. 14:00.
4 Whitethroat: SP325205. 14:00.
14 Stock Dove: SP325205. 14:00.

Steve Akers

Chipping Norton: 14th July

Chipping Norton
Green Sandpiper: On the wetland at Swailsford Bridge nr Cornwell - plus Brown Hare and large bat hunting high by side of wood probable Noctule Bat. 21:18.
Kestrel 21:18.
23 Mallard 21:18.
9 Swift 21:18.
7 Swallow 21:18.
Tawny Owl: Heard only. 21:18.

Steve Akers

Farmoor

Red-crested Pochard - female in marina with mallard. 

Common Tern - 6 including juv

Headington, Oxford: 12th July

A Mediterranean Gull flew north, calling constantly. Two flight calls are just about audible on this hasty phone recording (volume up!):

Farmoor

Cattle Egret - Pinkhill with 9 Little Egret

Common Sandpiper - 2 

Common Tern - 4 Adults and 1 fledged juv being fed.